Empire State University

History

Empire State College was designed by then SUNY Chancellor Ernest Boyer in a document titled "Prospectus for a New University College." In 1971, Ernest L. Boyer, chancellor of the State University of New York, conceived a new college for the state's public university: a college dedicated to adult student-centered education. Empire State College was designed removing impediments to access such as time, location, institutional processes, and curricular customs. In this design, students would individually define their academic needs, purposes, and efforts. The college would be flexible in supporting them through its faculty, policies, and procedures, to achieve college-level learning.

Mascot

In 2020, Empire State University named its first-ever mascot, Blue the Bluebird. A campus-wide vote took place and Blue the Bluebird beat out other finalists, Cam the Chameleon and Van the Vanguard. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni cast 9,922 total votes in the finals. The bluebird is New York's state bird.

Presidents

Academics

The university offers undergraduate and graduate distance education, extensive transfers of credits from other universities, prior-learning assessment for knowledge gained through independent studies, standardized evaluations, and the opportunity to design one's own degree with an academic advisor or mentor.

Rankings

In 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked Empire State University No.151-165 out of 171 Regional Universities North, No.57-60 in Top Public Schools, tied at No.392 in Nursing, and No.161 in Top Performers on Social Mobility.

Notable alumni

• Stephen Chan (American politician), NY State Senator
• Amy Arbus (2003), photographer
• Ita Aber, artist and curator
• Kenny Barron (1978), jazz pianist
• Ginny Brown-Waite (1976), former member U.S. House of Representatives
• Herman Benson (1975), Union Reformer
• Dawoud Bey (1990), photographer
• Frank Enea (1993), musician and composer
• Alice Fulton (1978), English professor, winner of the 1991 MacArthur Fellows Program Award, commonly referred to as the "genius" award, for poetry
• Susan Gibney, actress
• Deborah Gregory (1986), author of Cheetah Girls
• Karl Grossman (1976), professor of journalism SUNY Old Westbury, author, TV program host
• Bob Herbert (1988), The New York Times columnist
• Rich Hickey (1992), creator of Clojure programming language
• Erick Johnson, American contemporary artist
• Bernard Kerik (2002), former Commissioner of the New York Police Department
• James J. LeCleir (1974), U.S. Air Force Major General
• Steven McLaughlin, member of the New York State Assembly, County Executive of Rensselaer County, New York
• Kathy Muehlemann (1978), abstract painter & professor
• Elliott Murphy (1988), singer-songwriter & author
• Mae Ngai (1992) historian, Columbia University
• Alan Rachins (1974), television actor
• Mark J.F. Schroeder (1982), New York Commissioner of Motor Vehicles
• Norman Seabrook, former president Of New York City Correction Officers' Benevolent Association (1995–2016), convicted on corruption charges
• James M. Sheppard (1999), chief of the Rochester Police Department and member of the Monroe County Legislature
• Randall Terry (2006), anti-abortion activist and Constitution Party nominee for the 2024 United States presidential election
• Melba Tolliver (1998), journalist, reporter, and news anchor
• Herb Trimpe (1997), artist on "The Incredible Hulk" comic series
• Bob Watson (1999), major league baseball player and executive
• Reggie Witherspoon (1995), college basketball coach

Notes

References

References

1. (January 17, 2012). "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2011 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2010 to FY 2011". National Association of College and University Business Officers.
2. (2020-01-28). "SUNY Empire Announces First-Ever Mascot, Blue the Bluebird". ESC.edu.
3. "State University of New York Empire State College - Tuition and Acceptance Rate".
4. (2010-04-14). "College Navigator - SUNY Empire State College". Nces.ed.gov.
5. "Accreditation | About Us {{!}} SUNY Empire State College".
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7. (2017-08-17 }}{{Dead link). "Saying farewell to Merodie A. Hancock". Esc.edu.
8. (2018-02-26). "2018: Mitchell Nesler Named Officer-in-charge of SUNY Empire State College". Esc.edu.
9. De Socio, Mike. (May 9, 2019). "Jim Malatras will be the next SUNY Empire State College president". American City Business Journals.
10. "Office of the President". SUNY Empire State College.
11. (September 14, 2020). "Beth Berlin Named Officer-In-Charge To Lead SUNY Empire State After Maltras Departure". Saratoga Business Journal.
12. "College Scorecard: Empire State University". [[United States Department of Education]].
13. (1993). "Empire State College". New Directions for Higher Education.
14. "SUNY Empire State University Rankings". [[U.S. News & World Report]].
15. Edelman, Helen Susan. (Spring 2013). "Behind the Lens". Empire State College.
16. Barbara J. Love. (2006). "Feminists who changed America, 1963-1975". University of Illinois Press.
17. Henahan, David M.. (July 15, 2013). "Jazz Great Kenny Barron '78 Receives Honorary Doctorate of Music from SUNY". Empire State College.
18. (Spring 2005). "U.S. Representative Ginny Brown-Waite '76". Empire State College.
19. (July 10, 2020). "Obituary: Herman Benson, who fought union corruption, dies at 104". New York Times.
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24. Henahan, David M.. (March 9, 2017). "Empire State College Alumnus Bob Herbert Hosts Segment of PBS Documentary, "Chasing the Dream"". Empire State College.
25. Edelman, Helen S.. (2008). "Thinking Out of the "Cube"".
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34. "Mark J. Schroeder". League of Women Voters.
35. Klein, Jeffrey D.. (March 2, 2011). "Klein Honors Everyday Heroes At His Annual Black History Month Celebration Breakfast". New York State Senate.
36. Henahan, David. (June 13, 2013). "Meet James Sheppard '99". Empire State College Student/Alumni Profiles.
37. (May 7, 2015). "Melba Tolliver '98 Receives Distinguished Alumni Award". Empire State College.
38. (April 22, 2015). "Herb Trimpe '97, Legendary Comic Book Artist and College Alumnus Has Died". Empire State College.
39. Ferguson, Hope. (Spring 2004). "Destined to Play Ball". Empire State College.
40. (May 28, 2016). "Reggie Witherspoon Named Canisius Men's Basketball Coach". MAACSports.com.